...trudging into the distance in the bleeding stinking mad shadow of Jesus...the Lord out of dust had created him, had made him blood and nerve and mind, had made him to bleed and weep and think, and set him in a world of loss and fire... --Flannery O'Connor

My old friend Lucifer came / Fought to keep me in chains / But I saw through the tricks / Of six-sixty-six --Johnny Cash

5 thoughts on “Love Wins”

I've read Velvet Elvis and Jesus Wants to Save Christians, and I too like Bell's stuff. After spending a good bit of last evening reading through the buzz on Love Wins, I have noticed a good deal of--I'm not sure what to call it... snobbery I guess--looking-down-the-nose at Bell's scholarship and style, almost regardless of any controversial stands on issues. It's almost like some are looking for any reason to discredit him rather than discuss the issue at hand. I don't get why... then again, maybe I do.

People seem to have something against any Christian leader who has too much of a following (especially in the Church of Christ tradition). Many think that to be truly right we must also be truly hated and in the minority. But it seems like there was a a guy who drew crowds of thousands from all around to here his preaching...I think he fed them too...

I'm a Bell fan to be sure, so much so that I even download his sermons from his church. They're not quite what they used to be, as he was a wizard of preaching back in 2007ish, but I hold him as one of the guys who really "gets" the grace of God. I'm really excited for this book, he's been hinting towards this stance for years now, and I'm actually a little surprised he's coming out with it. I thought he'd keep it semi-covert so as to not potentially lose his influence...

Richard, I appreciate your courage in taking on these issues. Bell has a 'prophetic' voice in many ways if we will but listen. I am coming to believe more and more that the charge to make disciples is just that, a charge to His 'learners' to go and make more learners of each grouping. Within the context of how Jesus defined discipleship and kingdom- leaven, few, salt, light, mustard seed, etc,- I can't help but feel that what we know as 'church' and 'christianity' are not at all the truest vehicles of carrying forth the message of life that saves the world from self-destructive violence. It is the discovery of truths emodied in sacrifice/suffering, the victories of love and the vulnerability of naked faith- the journey leads to truth, and is truth. Our trational exclusive views of faith say far more about us than about God, the Transcendent. Perhaps we would do well to heed the admonishment of Jesus to John in Luke 9 when he reported to Jesus that the disciples tried to stop an unknown who was casting out demons in Jesus' name. Jesus said, "Leave him alone. If he's not against you, he's for you." Who are we to judge in any ultimate sense? What a freedom we have been given! God will bring all together as one...John 11.52 is that great promise as given by that same John in his comment on the purpose of Jesus.

Bell's videos were useful in the context of starting discussions with youth and young adults. I haven't read much of his writing, but I appreciate the fact that you were bold enough to say that you liked his writing. I am in a seminary context, and it would be "uncool" to like Bell. Whatever he has written in his book, he has taken a beating on the internet that has been tragic. (When was the last time that a Christian was attacked on Twitter, and ended up as trending item, before releasing a book?)